Smithsonian to Require All Visitors to Wear Masks Indoors

Starting Friday, July 30, the Smithsonian will require all visitors ages 2 and older to wear a mask in its museums and indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. Fully vaccinated visitors will not be required to wear a mask in outdoor areas at the National Zoo and the Smithsonian’s outdoor gardens but must wear a mask to visit indoor areas, including restrooms.

This change follows the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends that fully vaccinated individuals wear masks indoors in areas of substantial transmission rates of COVID-19. The Smithsonian welcomes visitors from all over the globe, and will require masks to protect the health and safety of staff and visitors at its locations in the Washington, D.C., area and in New York City.

The Smithsonian, which began a gradual reopening of its museums in May, stopped requiring fully vaccinated visitors to wear masks indoors June 28.

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